Theater switch panel



June 3, 1930; FULLER I 1,760,943

THEATER SWITCH PANEL Filed July 14,1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES:INVENTOR a? 4M Berr FFuHer.

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ATTdRNEY June 3; 1930. B. F. FULLER 1,760,943

THEATER SWITCH PANEL Filed July 14, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:INVENTOR Barf F FuHen BY MM ATTdRNEY Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE BERT I. FULLER, OF IPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TOWESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA Application filed July 14,

In certain forms of circuit controlling apparatus for theater lighting,relays are, used for controlling the various circuits about the stage.In the course of the performance, different circuits are energized forilluminating difierent parts of the stage. A separate circuit is usedfor difierent colored lamps and, consequently, a separate control switchis provided for each circuit.

In the usual circuit control panel, it has been the custom to employcertain forms of switch mechanism that may be adjusted or set up foreach scene. The adjustment is usually made for the next succeeding scenewhile one scene is being enacted. This form of apparatus necessitatesthe presence of a skilled operator for selecting the mechanism that isto be energized for each change of scene.

One object of my invention is to provide a circuit controlling apparatusfor theater lighting in which a simple form of switch mechanism is usedfor controlling the different lamps upon the stage or other sections ofthe theater and in which a predetermined set up may be arranged for eachand every scene that is to be enacted, so that it is only necessary toclose the proper circuits successively as the scenes are being enacted.

Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit controllingapparatus 'for theater lighting in which a portable switchboard ofsimple construction may be connected for controlling the lightingcircuits of the .stage or any part of the theater from a remote point. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit controllingapparatus for theater lighting in which each lamp circuit may becontrolled by an electromagnetic switch and wherein the circuits throughthe magnetic switches are controlled by a switch mechanism of simpleconstruction that is inexpensive to manufacture and which occupies aminimum of space.

Inmy co-pending application. Serial No.

1923. Serial No. 651,658.

577,830, filed July ,27, 1922, now Patent No.

1,640,542, issued August 30, 1927, I have disclosed a circuitcontrolling apparatus having characteristics similar to those outlinedabove and it is a further object of my invention to provide a circuitcontrolling apparatus particularly adapted for theater lighting havingcharacteristics in general like those of the apparatus disclosed in thesaid co-pending application, but wherein selective switches are providedfor each control circuit that may be set for any given scene and whereina single control lever or handle is provided with a conductor forsimultaneously energizing the circuit selected and wherein the operatinghandle causes the circuits to be simultaneously opened or closed with asnap action, thereby eliminating difliculties incident to slow operationof the switch and any tendency to burn the contacts.

Another objectof my invention is to provide a theater control panel thatis compact and which may be enclosed within a metal cabinet and whereinthe selective switches are accessible through an opening in the coverthat is closed by a door which may be sealed or locked after a desiredset up has been made, therebyinsuring that the set up cannot be alteredby anyone except an authorized person.

Another object of'my invention is to provide a theater control panelwherein all of the switch mechanism is enclosed within a metal casing insuch manner that only the operating handles for controlling a set up foreach separate scene is accessible, the arrangement being such that thehandles may be successively and progressively opened and closed as theplay progresses.

These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout thefurther description of my invention are attained by means of theapparatus herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein Figure 1 is a fragmental front elevation of a theater panel withportions of the enclosing housing cut away.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the switch mechanism shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the switch apparatus taken on theline 33 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through switch mechanism taken on theline 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram showing the connections between the switchapparatus and the feed and load circuits.

Referring first to the diagram shown in Fig. 5, the control systemcomprises a threewire feed circuit having conductors 6, 7' and 8 towhich load circuits 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are connected through themedium of electromagnetic double pole switches 15,16, 17, 18, 19 and 20respectively. Each load circuit is provided with a dimmer 21, by meansof which the intensity of the illumination in each circuit may beseparately varied.

For the purposeof illustration the lamp circuits 9 and 10 are forilluminating respectively foot and border lamps with white light, thelamp circuits 11 and 12 are for illuminating respectively the foot andborder lamps with red light and the lamp circuits 13 and 14 are forilluminating the foot and border lamps with blue light.

The switches 15 to 20, inclusive, are actuated respectively byelectromagnets 22 to 27, inclusive, each having magnetic coils 28 to 33respectively that are connected in separate control circuits includingconductors 34 to 39, respectively, which are connected respectively tovertically disposed busbars 40 to 45, that are mounted Within controlpanels in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The control circuit is completed through a plurality of groups ofselective switches 46 to 51, inclusive, that selectively engagestationary contacts 52 to 57, respectively, that are connected to theconductors 34 to 39, respectively. The switches 46 to 51, inclusive, arerespectively connected to contact members 58 to 63, inclusive, that areadapted to be engaged simultaneously by movable busbars 64, 65 and 66,which are provided for controlling the circuits connected to the contactmembers 58 to 63, inclusive, of each group of contact members.

Each busbar 64, 65 and 66 controls the illumination for a separate sceneand for the purpose of illustration three busbars are shown forcontrolling three separate scenes and it will be understood that abusbar may be provided extending transversely of thebusbars 40 toinclusive for each additional scene required for an entire play.- Thebusbars 64, 65 and 66 are connected to a main busbar 67 by means ofcontact members 71, 72 and 73 which respectively engage the bars whenthe latter are rotated through an angle of substantially 90. However, itwill be understood that the bars 64, 65 and 66 may be arranged to bemoved into engagement with the contact members in any preferred manner.The busbar 67 is connected to the the switch 68 of the busbar 64.

neutral conductor 8 by a conductor 74, singlepole switch 75, andconductor 76. The switch 75 is actuated by an electromagnet 77 that isenergized by a coil 78 that is connected to the feed conductor 6 througha conductor 79, master switch 80 and conductor 81.

When it is desired to make a particular set up for a performance, theselector switches 46 to 51 of each group, associated with busbars 64, 65and 66, are positioned to obtain the desired light for a given scene.For instance, in the first scene, the lighting is controlled by themovable busbar 64. If it is desired to have white lights burning in thefoot and border lamp circuits. red lights in the foot lamp circuit andblue lights in the border lamp circuit, the switches 46, 47, 48 and 51are moved to closed positions, the remaining switches 49 and 50 beingmaintained in open position. In similar manner, the selector switches 46to 51 associated with the other bus bars 65 and 66 are positioned forthe desired light set up for each successive scene. It must beunderstood that at the beginning of a performance and before the curtainis raised, all of the busbars 64 to 66 are disconnected from the mainbusbar 67 and conse quently the control circuits are dead. At thebeginning of the lay, the master con trol switch 80 is close therebycausing the control switch 75 to close the control circuit. When thebusbar 64 which controls the illumination of the first scene is movedinto engagement with the contacts 71 on the busbar 67, current will flowin the control circuit through conductor 76, control switch 75,conductor 74, busbar 67, switch 68, busbar 64, contacts 58, 59, and 63,selector switches 46, 47, 48 and 51, and thence to busbars 40, 41, 42and 45 through the magnetic coils 28, 29, 30 and 33 to the feedconductors 6 and 7. The circuits containing the white lamps in the footand border circuits, the red lamps in the foot circuits and the bluelamps in the border circuits will be illuminated by closing At theconclusion of the first scene, the busbar switch 68 is opened byrotating the busbar 64, and the busbar switch 69 of the busbar is movedto closed position.

Assuming that a certain selection of circuits had previously been madeby the proper positioning of the selector switches, the prcdeterminedlighting for the second scene will be obtained. The predeterminedlighting for the third scene will be obtained by opening the switch 69and closing the busbar switch 70 of the busbar 66. In this manner, thelighting of an entire performance may be accomplished by simplyprogressively opening and closing the busbars for controlling thelighting of each successive scene. It is not necessary that a skilledoperator be present during the performance in order to provide properselection of the circuits, and that compli cated li hting controlincident to a large number pf scenes is reduced to the simp e opening.and closing of 'a row of switches that may be progressively operated. Itwill be observed from the diagram, the drawing and the apparatus shownin Fig. 1 that the operating handles for adjacent busbars 64,

65 and 66 are disposed alternately on opposite sides of the housing forpreventing interference of one operating handle with the other andthereby reducing the distance between the busbars and rendering theentire switch apparatus compact.

By reason of the contact nature of the selector switches illustrated inFigs. 1 to 4, it is possible to provide control apparatus for a greatvariety of circuits and or a great number of scenes that may becontained and confined within relatively small limits, thus making theapparatus ideal for installation in theater stages or in remote movingpicture booths. By reason of the simplicity of the arrangement, it isapparent that the apparatus can be arranged for remote control, and thatthe lighting apparatus of an entire production may be controlled from amoving picture booth located at the rear of the auditorium.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the control apparatus includes an insulatingpanel or base.

member 82 that is'adapted t e secured to a wall of the stage or a movingpicture booth.

In Fig. 5, I have diagrammatically shown a system having six controlgircuits, but in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2, it will beapparent that provision is made for 16 control circuits in a relativelycompact limit of space. The circuit control busbars 40 to are mountedupon the rear face 83 of the panel, and for the purpose of illustrationthe selector switch 58 that is connected to the busbar 40 will bedescribed, for the reason that the apparatus connected to the switch 58and busbar 40 is typical of the switches and apparatus connected to theother corresponding busbars and for the same reason the apparatusconnected to the transverse busbar will be described as illustrative ofthe construction of the other transverse busbars, gvhich may be termedscene-controlling busars.

The selector switch 58 is mounted within an insulating shell 83' that isclosed by a metal cover 84 which carries a pivoted handle 85 having aninsulating cam 86 secured thereto for engaging a contact member 87 thatis secured within the shell 83 by means of a screw 88 that serves toattach a terminal member 89 to the switch shell 83. The terminal member89 is connected to the busbar 40 by means of a conductive bolt 91, asindicated in Fig. 4. The contact member 87 is adapted to be moved by thecam 86 into conductive engagement with a contact member 92 that issecured within the shell 83' bymeans of a ductive bolt 101 that servesto connect the terminal 94 with a contact member 99.

As indicated in Fig. 2, each separate unit 95 is positioned in suchmanner that the legs 97 thereof are alternately disposed on oppositesides of the busbar 65, thereby constituting a shield and enclosure forprotecting the busbar 65. The construction of the switch support 95 isas indicated in the drawings, of such compact nature that a great numberof control circuits may-be mounted upon a relatively narrow board orpanel and that the scene control busbars may be disposed relativelyclose together, thus reducing the overall length of the controlapparatus in such manner that it necessitates but a relatively limitedspace for its installation. The busbar 65 comprises a metal operatingrod or bar 98 that is rotatably mounted in supporting brackets 102 and103 that are secured to the base member 82. The end of the bar98projects beyond the bracket-102 into engagement with aquickmake-andbreak switch mechanism 104 that may be of any preferred standardconstruction, the details of which form no part of my invention and willnot be described in-detail herein. The quick make-and-break mechanism104 is connected by an operating crank 105 that is adapted to extendexteriorly of the housing 106 that enclosed the entire control switchapparatus. I I

An insulating sleeve or bushing 107 is mounted upon the rod 98 betweenthe brackets 102 and 103 and supports two busbars 65 on diametricallyopposite sides of the bushing as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The busbars65 are simultaneously energized by means of contact clips 72 that aremounted upon the base 82 and which are connected to the busbar 67 bymeans of conductive bolts 109 which serve to attach the slips 72 to thepanel 82. The clips 72 are adapted to conductively engage the busbar 65when the busbar is in the position indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, atwhich time it will be seen that the busbars 65 engage the contactmembers 99 that are connected ,to the selector switches 58 to 63. Whenthe rod 98 is rotated the bars 65 are moved out of engagement with thecontact members 99 and contact clips 72 and, consequently, interrupt thecircuit through themain control busbar 67 and the control circuitbusbars 41 to 45. B reason of the quick makeand break switc mechanismfor rotating the bar 98 with a sna action, injurious arcing of thecontacts is prevented when the bars are moved out of engagement with thecontact members 99.

The metal housing 106 is provided with a cover 111 having an opening 112therein that is closed by a hinged door 113 having a latch 114 that may,if preferred, be key controlled in order to seal the selector switches,which are exposed through the opening in the=cover, against manipulationby unauthorized persons. Before a erformance is to be given, thelighting 0 the entire performance may be selected by proper positioningof the selector switches and the door 113 then locked. As the scenes arechanged the control handles 105 may be operated as required. It will beseen that where the same performance is to be repeatedly produced in thesame theater, with this system i of control it will not be necessary torearrange the circuits for each performance as has been heretoforecustomary in stage controlling systems wherein it was possible to set upbut one scene in advance of the other.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will beapparentto'those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications,substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatusillus* trated without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, as set forth in the appended claims.

' I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, control circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit and the conductors o the other group beingcommonly connected to a supply circuit, a plurality of contact membersfor each conductor of the first group, a switch for each contact memberof the said group for selectively connecting the said contact members tothe conductors of that group and means for selectively moving theconductors of the second group into and out of engagement with the saidcontact members.

2. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, control circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit, a plurality of contact members for eachconductor of the first group, a switch for each contact member of thesaid group for selectively connecting the said contact members to theconductors of that group and means for selectively moving the conductorsof the second group into and out of engagement with the said contactmembers.

3. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a pluralit of loadcircuits connected thereto, control circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit, a plurality of contact members for eachconductor of the first group, a switch for each contact member of thesaid group for selectively connecting the said contact members to theconductors of that group and means whereby the conductors of the secondgroup may be connected to or disconnected rom the said contact member.

4. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, control. circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit, means on the conductors of one group forslmultaneously engaging the other conductors and a separate switch foreach means.

5. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, control circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit, means on the conductors of one group forengagin the other conductors and a separate switch or each means.

6. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, control circuits for the load circuitscomprising two groups of conductors, there being one conductor of onegroup for each load circuit, and the conductors of the other group beingconnected to a common conductor and operable separately into engagementwith the conductors of the first group, and separate switches for eachof the conductors of the first group for selectively completing thecircuit through their respective control circuits when the saidconductors of the control circuit are in engagement.

7. In an electrical system, a main feed circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits connected thereto, a control system for the load circuitscomprising a control circuit for each load circuit, a plurality of setsof separately operable presettable switches, the switches of each setbeing connected to a common conductor of the control system, a separateconductor connected to each switch, the last said conductors beingdivided into predetermined groups, each group containing conductors eachconnected, respectively, to a separately operable switch of a differentcontrol circuit,

and a plurality of means, one for each of said groups for connecting theconductors of a selected group concurrently to a second common conductorof the control system.

8. In a theater lightin system, a feed circuit comprising two feedbuses, a plurality of conductors each having a translating device incircuit therewith, and connected to one of the said feed buses, aplurality of sets of separately operable presettable switches, theswitches of each set bein connected in common to one of the said conuctors, a separate conductor connected to each switch, the

last said conductors being divided into predetermined groups, each groupcontaining conductors each connected, respectively, to a separatelyoperable switch of a diiferent one of the first said conductors, and aplurality of means, one for each of said groups for connecting the lastsaid conductors of a se- Lected group concurrently to the other feed Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day ofJuly, 1923.

BERT F. FULLER,

